The N -Glycosylation of Total Plasma Proteins and IgG in Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation is a disease with a complex pathophysiology, whose occurrence and persistence are caused not only by aberrant electrical signaling in the heart, but by the development of a susceptible heart substrate. These changes, such as the accumulation of adipose tissue and interstitial fibrosis, are characterized by the presence of inflammation. N -glycans have shown great promise as biomarkers in different diseases, specifically those involving inflammatory changes. To assess the changes in the N -glycosylation of the plasma proteins and IgG in atrial fibrillation, we analyzed the N -glycosylation of 172 patients with atrial fibrillation, before and six months after a pulmonary vein isolation procedure, with 54 cardiovascularly healthy controls. An analysis was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. We found one oligomannose N -glycan structure from the plasma N -glycome and six IgG N -glycans, mainly revolving around the presence of bisecting N -acetylglucosamine, that were significantly different between the case and control groups. In addition, four plasma N -glycans, mostly oligomannose structures and a derived trait that was related to them, were found to be different in the patients who experienced an atrial fibrillation recurrence during the six-month follow-up. IgG N -glycosylation was extensively associated with the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score, confirming its previously reported associations with the conditions that make up the score. This is the first study looking at the N -glycosylation patterns in atrial fibrillation and warrants further investigation into the prospect of glycans as biomarkers for atrial fibrillation.